Sliding t-square



(No Model.)

W.YM. MORTON SLIDING T-SQUARE ,473. Patented Apr. 16, 1895.

UNTTED STATES ATENT Gwinn.

WILLIAM M. MORTON, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

SLIDING T-SQUARE.

SECFIOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 537,473, dated April 16, 1 895.

Application filed March 13, 1893. Serial 110.465.687- (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern,.-

4Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. MoRToN, a citizen of the United States, residing,r at New Haven, county of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sliding T-Beve1s,of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

My invention relates to the T-bevels used by carpenters and other workmen for gaging and reproducing angles, and other similar purposes, and it has for its object to improve the construction of such tool by providing a body or frame therefor which, while possessing greatly increased strength and rigidity, can be prod uced at a considerably less cost than those heretofore employed, and which will at the same time lessen the liability of inaccurate use of the tool.

To these ends, my invention consists in the T-loevel constructed and operating as hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the drawings, in which like letters and numerals designate like parts in t-he several views, Figure 1 is a side view of a T-bevel embodying my invention, two positions of the blade being shown therein by full and broken lines respectively. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the opposite side of the tool, the blade being partially broken away. Fig. 3 is an edge View of the same. partial longitudinal section of thetool, the locking lever being shown in its closed position by full lines and in its open position by broken lines. Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken upon line 5-5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detailed view of the locking-lever stud, washer and compensating nut. Fig. 7 is a view of one of the side-pieces of the tool detached.

The frame or body of the tool devised by me is composed of two corresponding sidepieces a and b which are riveted or otherwise rigidly connected together at one end and at their opposite end terminate in rounded ears 2, seeFig. 7, which ears are provided with a concentrically located hole 3 to receive the stud 4 which serves as the pivot about which the blade of the tool turns. Said side-pieces a and b are provided with outwardly projecting side Ilan ges 5, which are preferably slightly Fig. 4. is a rounded at each end thereof as shown, and I prefer to form said side pieces and flanges by stamping them from asingle piece of .sheet steel or other suitable sheet metal, thereby combining great strength and rigidity with lightness7 and enabling them to be produced very rapidly and cheaply.

The blade c is of the usual form having a longitudinal slot 6 to receive the stud 4 and preferably having one end thereof formed upon an angle in the usual way. Said blade is mounted upon said stud between the ears 2 of the side pieces, and a block or plate 7, interposed between the side pieces at their opposite end and retained in position by the rivets which unite the latter, secures the necessary degree of separation between the sidepieces to enable vthe blade to be moved between the sanieinits closed position, as shown by full lines in Fig. 1.

The stud 4 is threaded at one end to receive aspanner-nut 8 which bears against the outer side of the ear of one of the side pieces, and to the opposite end of said stud is connected by a pivot 9 a cam lever d, which lever is forked to embrace the stud, as shown in Fig. 1, and at its opposite end terminates in a thumb-piece 10 which is preferably flattened upon its outer side and is beveled upon its under side, as shown more clearly in Fig. 6, to enable the thumb to have a wedging action against the lever in throwing it to its open position. In the plane of its pivotal connection to stud 4 said lever is provided upon its inner side with a cam surface l2 of considerable radius, the action of which against the face of a washer 13, interposed between it and the ear of the adjacent side piece, is such that, when the lever is depressed or forced toward the adjacent side-piece, the blade will be tightly clamped between the ears of the two side-pieces as shown by full lines in Fig. 4, and when said lever is moved in the opposite direction, or to the position shown by broken lines in said Fig. 4, the blade will be loosened to such an extent that it can be readily set at any desired angle to the frame or body. It will be observed that such movements of said locking-lever can be made with the thumb of the hand in which the body of.

ICO

blade or holding the Work upon which the tool is used, and that the blade can thus be locked and released almost instantly.

The Spanner-nut 8 serves to compensate for any wear between the surface of the cam 12 and the adjacent surface of the washer 13, or between the blade and the side pieces, so that the perfect action of said cam is assured for the full life of the tool.

The flanged construction of the side-pieces not only serves to combine strength with lightness as before stated, but by affording recesses to receive the thumb and fingers of the hand in which the tool is held it obviates the possibility of the accuracy with which the tool is applied to the work being interfered with or impaired by the projection of a linger or portion thereof between the frame and the Work, as frequently happens in the use of tools of this nature having their sides composed of plane surfaces. Furthermore it will be observed by reference to Figs. 3 and 4: that the locking-lever in its closed position lies flush with the outer edges of the flanges 0f the adjacent side piece, thereby permitting the tool to rest closely upon a flat surface with either side thereof uppermost.

The tool herein described can be manufaciured very cheaply as compared with those heretofore used while as before stated it possesses even greater strength and durability.

I do not wish to limit myself to the exact details of construction herein shown and described as various slight modifications therein can be made Without departure from the spirit of my invention.

Particular attention is called to the fact that the use of springs is entirely obviated in the tool devised by me, all of the movements thereof being positive in their nature, thereby greatly increasing the efficiency of the tool forthe purpose for Whichitis designed and materially prolonging the effective life thereof. Attention is also called to the fact that when the locking-leverlies flush with the edges of the flanges 5 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4: the tools can be compactly disposed for shipment.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a T-bevel, a frame or body composed of two side-pieces, each of which consists of a base plate having lateral extensions thereof bent along two parallel straight edges to form j strengthening flanges, a block interposed between the base plates of the side-pieces at one end, and rivets securing the side-pieces and block in position, substantially as described.

WILLIAM M. MORTON. Witnesses:

W. H. CHAPMAN, E. D. ROWE. 

